Keeping Busy

For the last few days I've been dealing with a mild case of shingles. Even though it's mild, it still hurts. To keep my mind off my discomfort, I decided to get to work on this little project. This one is on the smaller side. It measures 46"x 52". I can't wait to try some quilting on it. I'm thinking of borrowing a friends pounce.

Today I'm Thankful For ...

1. Grace and peace from God.
2. The local public library.
3. My treadmill.
4. Weight watchers.
5. Kids who've made it to adulthood without drama.

Today I'm Thankful For ...

1. My best friend Judy.
2. Pinterest - where I can collect tons of great recipes and quilt ideas.
3. Half-Price Books - where I can buy children's books to give to our youth pastor at a fraction of the cost of new books.
4. My son had a good review at work and is being slated for a promotion.
5. My daughter is done with college and has a job she enjoys.

Today I'm Thankful For ...

1. Tea ( especially Trader Joe's Irish Breakfast tea).
2. The apostle Paul, who wrote many of the letters found in the bible.
3. Time to season of life.
4. Living in a place where I don't have hide my faith in Jesus Christ.
5. One Simple Act, a book by Debbie Macomber.

Today I'm Thankful For ...

1. Elizabeth George - who wrote the book Unserstand Your Blessings in Christ.

2. A new gas stove.

3. My morning cup of tea.

4. Time to sew.

5. My friends at Sit and Sew.

Playing the Drug Store Game

By the looks of the title, you'd think this blog post is about drugs, but it's not. It's about saving money! When you use coupons to save money at the chain pharmacy stores, it's called the Drug Store Game. That's what I did today... and it was fun!

Where I went - 
CVS

What I got -
2 cans of Blue Diamond Almonds
2 Maybelline Full and Soft Mascaras
2 3-packs of toothbrushes
2 90-count flossers
1 roll of Scotch packing tape

Retail price for all those items -
$42.33

How much I spent in cash -
$13.60

How much I spent in Extra Bucks -
$14.00

How much I have in CVS Extra Bucks -
$6.00

This is how it went down -
Transaction  #1 - 

2 3-packs of toothbrushes @ $3.19 each =	$6.28
2 90-count flossers @ $2.50 each =	$5.00
Total	$11.28
Minus 30%  CVS Red Box coupon	-$3.36
Minus Extra Bucks (from last week)	-$5.00
Minus Extra Bucks (downloaded app)	-$3.00
	.86

Earned back $6.00 in Extra Bucks
Savings 93% - Woohoo!

Transaction #2 - 

2 cans of Blue Diamond Almonds @ 5.49 each (BOGO free) =	$5.49
2 Maybelline Full and Soft Mascaras @ 8.99 each =	$17.98
Total	$23.47
Minus manufacturer coupon  (Maybelline)	-$1.00
Minus manufacturer coupon  (Blue Diamond Nuts)	-$1.50
Minus Extra Bucks from transaction #1	-$6.00
Minus $3.00 off Make-up CVS Red Box Coupon	-$3.00
Minus $1.50 off Nuts CVS Red Box Coupon	-$1.50
Subtotal	$10.47
Tax	.78
Total	$11.25

Earned back $5.00 in Extra Bucks
Savings 64%.

Transaction #3 - 

Packing Tape	$1.99
Minus manufacturer coupon	-.50
Total	$1.49

Earned back $1.00 in Extra Bucks
Savings 63%.

Prep time - about an hour.
Shopping time about 15 minutes.

I think I'll try it again next week. My goal is to only buy things I know I'll use. I don't want to have a closet of body wash that no one in the house will use. I want to get to the point where I have a modest stockpile and then can score great deals in order to be generous with others. We'll see what that looks like when I get there.

In order to get better at this game, I need to spend a little time finding the best online resources, getting myself organized and planning the order of my transactions better. I'm sure there was probably a better order to do these purchases, but I still feel pretty good about what I accomplished. It makes being "on sabbatical" worth it.

Until next time ...

Thankful...Because I Am Able

Meet Zion

When I watch news stories about people who thrive despite handicaps I'm always left wondering...So, what's my excuse? Yesterday morning on Good Morning America I saw a story about ten-year-old Zion Harvey who lost both of his hands when he was two years old. This kid is pretty amazing. His attitude was inspiring. And that was before he got new hands. He had learned not only to adapt, but to enjoy life, without hands - feeding himself, playing games and even strumming a guitar.  At a press conference following an extraordinary surgery to attach two new hands, he called out his family to thank them for all the help and support they had provided. Wow!

          

People without limbs, people like Nick Vujicic and people with extensive paralysis, such as Joni Eareckson Tada, are finding ways to live and impact the lives of others. More importantly, they have an attitude of gratefulness in the midst of their limitations. I'm sure they get down, but their overriding outlook is positive. Their faith in God and his care for them gives them hope and helps them move their focus to others.

When I'm tempted to come up with excuses for why I can't do something, I just need to think of these people to remember that excuses are for wimps. I am able ... to do just about anything I want to do, if I'm willing to work hard, focus and persist. I pray that God will help me to see the things that he has made me able to do.